FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Hormonal changes are a
major reason women are far more likely than men to have migraine
headaches, research suggests.
About 30 million Americans suffer from migraines, and women are
nearly three times more likely to have them than men, National
Headache Foundation data indicates.
"Hormonal changes are a big contributor to the higher female incidence," Dr. Michael Moskowitz, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said in a news release from the Society for Women's Health Research. "There are lines of evidence that support this from lab to clinical evidence and a decreased [although not abolished] incidence in postmenopausal females."
Women who experience migraines may find they often occur just
before or just after the onset of menstruation. Also, women's
patterns of migraines may change during pregnancy and/or
menopause.
Many other factors can increase the risk of having migraine
headaches for both men and women:
- Heredity: People with a family history of the painful attacks,
and especially those with one or more first-degree relatives with
migraines, are at significantly increased risk.
- Age: People typically experience migraines between the ages of
15 and 55, and the first attack usually occurs before age 40.
- Medical conditions: Certain health problems, such as high blood
pressure, anxiety, depression, stroke and epilepsy, have been
associated with migraines.
Although there is no cure, migraines can be managed effectively
with the help of a doctor. Many drugs are available for prevention
and pain relief, and lifestyle changes can eliminate some triggers
that cause migraines, Moskowitz said in the news release.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
has more about
migraines.